DirXML Script is a scripting language for implementing policy in a Novell Identity Manager metadirectory engine. Each policy is implemented as a small program. DirXML Script provides a simple-to-use paradigm for accessing attribute values for a particular object in a data store, such as eDirectory, or a connected application. Because the access is so simple, it tends to be used in a way that causes the same attribute to be repeatedly queried from the target system during a single invocation of the policy. One result of such excessive and redundant reading of attribute data is slow synchronization performance in the metadirectory engine.